This invention generally relates to electronic signatures and, more particularly, to an electronic writing instrument having a fingerprint scanner incorporated therein, wherein fingerprint data obtained by the fingerprint scanner is used to create an electronic signature.
As enterprises move from paper-based systems to more economical paperless environments, new barriers are presented that must be overcome with new technology. Business transactions, agreements and authorizations are some examples of events that require one or more person""s assent, evidenced by that person""s signature, that must be electronically perpetuated in a paperless system. Perpetuation is required to maintain the commercial quality of permanence that is required to support audit, evidentiary and enforcement requirements.
In October 2000, the federal Electronic Signatures in Global and National Commerce Act (also known as xe2x80x9cE-Signxe2x80x9d) was enacted. The new law broadly authorizes electronic records and electronic signatures as being legally effective. The existence of this new law makes business transactions conducted electronically easier to enforce. Therefore, a major barrier for conducting electronic business transactions has been removed, and greater proliferation of electronic business transactions will no doubt be seen in the marketplace.
Typically, electronic signatures are applied to electronic documents within a user""s computer. After the electronic signature is appended to an electronic document, the electronic document is electronically transmitted to another computer, where the electronic document may be processed further or stored.
While many solutions have been found to store and process electronic documents with electronic signatures, problems still exist because many business transactions, although conducted electronically, still require a user to physically affix a user signature to a document, either an electronic document or a paper document. Translating a physical signature into an electronic signature and incorporating uniquely identifying features into the physical signature so it can be used to verify documents presents new problems to overcome.
Systems and methods are described herein for scanning a fingerprint to use in uniquely identifying a handwritten signature. An electronic writing instrument includes a finger pad on which a user""s finger rests when the user is writing with the electronic writing instrument. A fingerprint scanner located in the writing instrument is configured to scan a fingerprint of the user that rests on the finger pad. A feature identifier is configured to identify particular features of the scanned fingerprint.
The fingerprint features are converted into a code, specifically, a private key code. Since the fingerprint is unique to the user, the private key code derived from the fingerprint is also unique to the user. Therefore, the private key code may be used to uniquely identify the user. A public key code is derived from the private key by some known method, e.g., encrypting the private key code with a previously selected password.
The public key code is then transmitted to a computing device, either via a wired or a wireless link. In one implementation, the data obtained from the fingerprint scanner is transmitted to the computing device, where the data is converted into a private key code and the public key code is created.
The electronic writing instrument is designed to capture the fingerprint data as the user signs the user""s signature. The signature may be signed on paper (or some similar medium) or electronically (on an electronic signature pad, a touch screen, etc.) If the signature is signed on paper, then the paper document is scanned into the computing device.
An electronic signature module in the computing device creates an electronic signature from the public key code and attaches the electronic signature to the document. In one implementation, a digital representation of the signature is stored with the document in the appropriate location. Thereafter, the electronic signature may be used to verify that the person identified by the electronic signature signed the document, and that the document has not been changed since it was signed.